Gauging device for ditchers



Nov. 22, 1949 RElsgNG 2,489,196

GAUGING DEVICE FOR DI'ICHERS Filed May 2, 1946' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1glwuo/wbom FRAMC/S M HE/Sl/VG I'WMQM 22, 1949 F. M. REISING GAUGINGDEVICE FOR DITCHERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 2, 1946 FRA/VC/S M.RE/Sl/VG Patented Nov. 22, 1949 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GAUGING DEVICE FOR DITCHERS Francis M. Raising, Edinburg, Tex.

Application May 2,1946, Serial No. 666,718

' 4 Claims- (01. 33-185) This invention relates to improvements in agauging device for determining and maintaining the level of a shoringbox associated with a ditching head.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a device which can bereadily attached or detached from the conventional ditching head, whichdevice is constructed and arranged for associated cooperation with aline arranged at a predetermined level, whereby the operator of aditching head can by inspection of the gauge retain his machine inconstant operation and at a predetermined level by an inspection fromthe control position on the ditching machinery.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a structureof thetype described which can be readily adjusted for use in connection withdifferent types of heads or'different' conditions of terrain.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the typedescribed which will be cheap to manufacture, easy to assemble andadjust, and capable of rough usage without damage causing expense inup-keep and repair.

Other features will more clearly herein after appear by reference to theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and hereinlike characters of references designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views. in which; A i

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the present invention applied to adigger head, the latter being illustrated in dotted line.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional View showing the gauge arm supportingstructure.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the gauge arm supportingstructure.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the connecting clip between the gauge bodyand adjusting arm,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view showing the adjusting means for thegauge element, and

Fig. 6 is an end view of the structure of Figure 4.

Referring to Figure 1 the digger head of a conventional digging machineis indicated by reference character A and is shown in dotted lineextending into a ditch indicated by the reference character B. Thepurpose of the present mechanism is to maintain the depth of the cut ofthe digger head A in the ditch B at a predetermined level and toaccomplish this purpose the gauge structure is necessarily maintained onthe digger head as shown. The gauge structure includes a main U-shapedframe having parallel arms I and 2 pivotally supported at 3, which is atthe axis of the drive for the endless digger mechanism A. The parallelarms I and 2 are connected at their outer ends by the cross bar 3' andthe latter is provided with the medial extension 4 projecting therefromand in substantially the same plane. Supporting the arms I and 2 are theadjusting arms 5 and 6, the latter being slidably connected to the armsI and 2 at their upper ends and being pivoted at their inner ends 1 I tothe front of the digger head. In Figures 4 and 6 the connection betweenthe arms I and 2 and the arms 5 and 6 is illustrated in detail andincludes in each instance the U- shaped clamp member 8 through which thearms I and 2 extend. The clamp member 8 together by tightening the nutsI2 to bring the projections 9 and I0 together.

The Projecting arm 4 is in the form of a round straight rod, the axis ofwhich is parallel to the axis of the supporting arms I and 2. Slidablealong the rodlike projection 4 is the bushing l4 formedwith thegd'flange head I5 through which the set screw !6 extends for securingthe same in fixed relation to the rod 4. Arranged on the bushing I4 isthe bearing structure including inner raceway I I and outer raceway I8between which are interposed the spaced bearings I9. A stop collar 20 issecured in position by means of the set screw 2| and locks the racewaysagainst relative lateral movement. On the outer bearing raceway I8 acollar 20' is maintained, this collar 20 including a depending hanger 2iprovided with. spaced ears 22 having a pivot pin 23 for mounting thegauge finger 24. By this structure it will be apparent that the collar2|! is free on the bearing assembly to turn thereabout while the gaugesupporting upright 24 is provided with a transverse swinging movement byvirtue of its mounting on the pin 23.

The gauge supporting upright 24, supported on the pin 23, having auniversal movement, will maintain a vertical position under allconditions. This gauge supporting upright 2t supports at its lowerextremity a cross arm 25, and on the cross arm 25 there is provided atone end the adjustable weight 26, and at the other end the gauge pin 21is adjustably supported. The gauge pin 21 includes a weight contactingextremity 28 which partly tends to counterbalance the weight 26adjustably supported at the other end of the arm 25. By adjusting theweight 26 the arm 25 can be held on its vertical support 24 in ahorizontal position. Referring now to Figure it Will be seen that thecontacting element 21 is vertically adjustable in a slot formed in thehead 29 of the arm and is held in a predetermined adjustable position bythe thumb screw 3!]; The adjustment of the gauge pin 21 will bedetermined by the height of the line 3|, this line 3! being supported atspaced points by the uprights 32 at a predetermined level. l

From the foregoing it will be obvious that the supporting frame formedof the parts i, 2, and 3' can be adjusted on the digger head A at apredetermined level by sliding the arms 6 and I along the parts I and 2.Having adjusted the supporting frame the suspended arm 25 can beadjusted to asuitable position along the length of the member 4 and thisarm 24 will retain its vertical position under all conditions, carryingwith it cross arm 24, which latter being suitably.

adjusted will retain its proper horizontal position. By turning thethumb screw the pin 21 can be adjusted until the enlarged extremity 28on the gauge pin 21 contacts the line 31. The operator of the diggingmachinery by watching from his control position can maintain theextremity of the pin 28 in contact with the line 3|, and as long as thisassociation is maintained the dig er head will operate at apredetermined level.

I claim:

1. In a gauge mechanism for use with a.ditch-' ing machine having amovable part, a U-shaped frame member pivotally "secured to said movablepart, a'brace for securing said frame in predetermined angular relationwith respect to said part, a rod projecting from said frame, a verticalmember having universal movement mounted on said rod, a horizontalmember carried bysaid vertical member and counter-weighted for maintaining horizontal positions under all conditions, and an adjustablecontact member at one end of said horizontal member. a

2. In a gauge for a ditching head, a supporting frame including a pairof spaced arms having end portions adapted to be fixed tosaid ditchinghead for movement on horizontal pivots, means 4 for adjusting saidsupporting frame on said horizontal pivots and maintaining the same inadjusted position, a slide bar extending medially of said arms from saidsupporting frame and in a common plane therewith, a longitudinallyadjustable element suspended on said slide bar for swinging movementlongitudinally and transversely of the axis of said bar, a horizontalrod carried in suspended position at the extremity of said suspendedelement, said rod having at one end a longitudinally adjustablecounterweight, and at its other end a vertically adjustable contactelement.

.3. The substance of claim 2 characterized in "that the verticaladjustable contact element is counter-weighted, and the counter-weightforms the contacting element.

support for securing said frame in adjusted-p0 sition, a slide barcarried by said frame, with said slide bar projecting from the medialportion of the base of said U-frame and lying in a common planetherewith, an element supported for longitudinal movement on said slidebar, said element being mounted for swinging movement longitudinally ofsaid slide bar, a rod carried at the lower end of said element andarranged horizontally with respect thereto, an adjustable weightadjustably arranged on one end of said rod, and a vertically adjustablegauge pin supported at the other end of said rod.

' FRANCIS M. REISING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Penote Aug. 7, 1934

